Intravascular ultrasound imaging apparatus, interface architecture, and method of manufacturing

ABSTRACT

Solid-state ultrasound imaging devices, systems, and methods are provided. Some embodiments of the present disclosure are particularly directed to compact and efficient ultrasound transducer scanner formed from a substantially cylindrical semiconductor substrate. In some embodiments, an intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) device includes: an ultrasound scanner assembly disposed at a distal portion of the flexible elongate member, the ultrasound scanner assembly including a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of transistors formed thereupon. The semiconductor substrate is curved to have a substantially cylindrical form when the ultrasound scanner assembly is in a rolled form, and the plurality of transistors are arranged in a cylindrical arrangement when the ultrasound scanner assembly is in the rolled form. In one such embodiment, the device further includes a plurality of ultrasound transducers formed upon the semiconductor substrate and arranged in a cylindrical arrangement when the ultrasound scanner assembly is in the rolled form.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/812,792 filed Jul. 29, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,224,403,which claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/032,368, filed Aug. 1, 2014, each of which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to intravascular ultrasound(IVUS) imaging and, in particular, to a solid-state IVUS imaging system.In various embodiments, the IVUS imaging system includes an array ofultrasound transducers, such as piezoelectric zirconate transducers(PZTs), capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs), and/orpiezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducers (PMUTs), formed on asemiconductor substrate along with associated control logic. Thesemiconductor substrate is then rolled into a cylindrical form to form ascanner assembly and disposed at a distal end of an intravascularelongate member. The resulting device is suitable for advancing into anenclosed space and imaging the surrounding structures. For example, someembodiments of the present disclosure provide an IVUS imaging systemparticularly suited to imaging a human blood vessel.

BACKGROUND

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging is widely used in interventionalcardiology as a diagnostic tool for assessing a diseased vessel, such asan artery, within the human body to determine the need for treatment, toguide the intervention, and/or to assess its effectiveness. An IVUSdevice includes one or more ultrasound transducers arranged at a distalend of an elongate member. The elongate member is passed into the vesselthereby guiding the transducers to the area to be imaged. Thetransducers emit ultrasonic energy in order to create an image of thevessel of interest. Ultrasonic waves are partially reflected bydiscontinuities arising from tissue structures (such as the variouslayers of the vessel wall), red blood cells, and other features ofinterest. Echoes from the reflected waves are received by the transducerand passed along to an IVUS imaging system. The imaging system processesthe received ultrasound echoes to produce a cross-sectional image of thevessel where the device is placed.

There are two general types of IVUS devices in use today: rotational andsolid-state (also known as synthetic aperture phased array). For atypical rotational IVUS device, a single ultrasound transducer elementis located at the tip of a flexible driveshaft that spins inside aplastic sheath inserted into the vessel of interest. The transducerelement is oriented such that the ultrasound beam propagates generallyperpendicular to the axis of the device. The fluid-filled sheathprotects the vessel tissue from the spinning transducer and driveshaftwhile permitting ultrasound signals to propagate from the transducerinto the tissue and back. As the driveshaft rotates, the transducer isperiodically excited with a high voltage pulse to emit a short burst ofultrasound. The same transducer then listens for the returning echoesreflected from various tissue structures. The IVUS imaging systemassembles a two dimensional display of the vessel cross-section from asequence of pulse/acquisition cycles occurring during a singlerevolution of the transducer.

In contrast, solid-state IVUS devices utilize a scanner assembly thatincludes an array of ultrasound transducers distributed around thecircumference of the device connected to a set of transducercontrollers. The transducer controllers select transducer sets fortransmitting an ultrasound pulse and for receiving the echo signal. Bystepping through a sequence of transmit-receive sets, the solid-stateIVUS system can synthesize the effect of a mechanically scannedtransducer element but without moving parts. Since there is no rotatingmechanical element, the transducer array can be placed in direct contactwith the blood and vessel tissue with minimal risk of vessel trauma.Furthermore, because there is no rotating element, the interface issimplified. The solid-state scanner can be wired directly to the imagingsystem with a simple electrical cable and a standard detachableelectrical connector.

Because an IVUS device is advanced into a confined space, deviceagility, which strikes a balance between flexibility andcontrollability, is an important characteristic. Rotational devices tendto smoothly advance around corners due to the flexible rotating driveshaft contained within the sheath. However, rotational IVUS devicesoften require a long rapid exchange tip to engage the guidewire, and thelong tip may limit the advance of the imaging core containing thetransducer. For example, this may prevent the device from being advancedto very distal locations within the coronary arteries. On the otherhand, solid-state IVUS devices may have a shorter tip as the guidewirecan pass through the interior lumen of the scanner. However, somesolid-state designs have rigid segments that limit the ability toadvance the elongate member around sharp bends in the vasculature.Solid-state IVUS devices also tend to be larger in diameter thanrotational devices to accommodate the transducer array and theassociated electronics.

While existing IVUS imaging systems have proved useful, there remains aneed for improvements in the design of the solid-state scanner to reduceits overall diameter and to reduce the length of rigid portions of theelongate member in order to provide improved access to the vasculature.In addition, the improvements to fabrication and assembly techniqueswould also prove beneficial because of the difficulties inherent inassembling miniscule components. Accordingly, the need exists forimprovements to the scanner assembly and its components, and to themethods used in manufacturing these elements.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a compact and efficientscanner assembly in a solid-state imaging system.

In some embodiments, an intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) device isprovided. The device comprises: a flexible elongate member; and anultrasound scanner assembly disposed at a distal portion of the flexibleelongate member, the ultrasound scanner assembly including asemiconductor substrate having a plurality of transistors formedthereupon, wherein the semiconductor substrate is curved to have asubstantially cylindrical form when the ultrasound scanner assembly isin a rolled form, and wherein the plurality of transistors are arrangedin a cylindrical arrangement when the ultrasound scanner assembly is inthe rolled form. In one example, the device further comprises: aplurality of ultrasound transducers formed upon the semiconductorsubstrate and electrically coupled to the transducer control circuitry,wherein the plurality of ultrasound transducers are arranged in acylindrical arrangement when the ultrasound scanner assembly is in therolled form.

In some embodiments, a scanner assembly for ultrasound imaging isprovided. The scanner assembly comprises a rollable semiconductorsubstrate; transducer control logic formed on a control region of therollable semiconductor substrate; and a transducer formed on atransducer region of the rollable semiconductor substrate andelectrically coupled to the transducer control logic, wherein thetransducer control logic and the transducer have a curved form. In onesuch embodiment, the rollable semiconductor substrate includes a siliconsemiconductor having a curved form.

In some embodiments, a method of manufacturing an intravascularultrasound device is provided. The method comprises: receiving asemiconductor substrate; forming a transistor on the semiconductorsubstrate; forming an ultrasound transducer on the semiconductorsubstrate; and rolling the semiconductor substrate having the transistorand the ultrasound transducer formed thereupon to have a substantiallycylindrical form, wherein the rolling changes the profile of each of thetransistor and the ultrasound transducer. In one example, the methodfurther comprises: performing a process to change the semiconductorsubstrate from a rigid state to a rollable state prior to the rolling ofthe semiconductor substrate.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure utilize improved fabricationtechniques to reduce the diameter and length of the scanner assembly. Asthe scanner assembly is rigid, decreasing the size creates a moreresponsive device and may allow for a thinner elongate member. Thedimensions of a conventional scanner assembly may be determined in partby the geometric challenges of arranging flat elements such ascontrollers and transducers into a roughly cylindrical device as well asthe need for a transition zone to accommodate differences in thecross-sectional shape along the length of the cylinder. In contrast, insome embodiments of the present disclosure, the transducers and controllogic are formed on a rollable substrate. During the rolling stage, theentire substrate including the transducers and the control logic can becurved to form a more cylindrical device. By utilizing space moreefficiently, the rollable substrate increases the device density anddecreases the size of the scanner assembly. By forming a more uniformprofile, the rollable substrate may permit a shorter transition zone,further decreasing the length of the scanner assembly along thelongitudinal axis of the rolled assembly. The resulting IVUS device isnarrower and more flexible and, therefore, able to maneuver throughcomplicated vascular branches.

Some embodiments leverage the advantages of manufacturing the elementsof the scanner assembly on a single semiconductor substrate to furtherreduce device size. Instead of dividing the elements into discrete dies,separating the dies, and reassembling them on a flexible interconnect,in the present embodiments, the elements remain together on thesemiconductor substrate throughout the manufacture of the scannerassembly. This eliminates the packaging bulk associated with multipledies and may result in more reliable interconnections. Furthermore, theyield loss associated with dicing tiny components and bonding them to aflexible interconnect is avoided. As a result, the manufacturingtechnique simplifies assembly, reduces assembly time, and improves bothyield and device reliability.

Additional embodiments incorporate transducers that are speciallyadapted to a flexible substrate. The transducers are formed from anarray of diaphragms or drumheads. As some flexible substrates arerelatively thin, the resonance chamber of each diaphragm may be shallow.However, by connecting several diaphragms in parallel, the effectivesize is much larger. This allows the transducer to provide a morepowerful ultrasonic signal while transmitting and to produce a strongerelectrical signal while receiving. In addition, the operationalfrequency of a transducer can be tuned by adjusting the number ofdiaphragms operating in parallel. The result is a more sensitivetransducer in a smaller package.

Additional aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosurewill become apparent from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure will be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic schematic view of an intravascular ultrasound(IVUS) imaging system according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method of utilizing the IVUS systemaccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a portion of an ultrasound scanner assemblyaccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a control region of an ultrasoundscanner assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a transducer region of an ultrasoundscanner assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal perspective view of a portion of an ultrasoundscanner assembly depicted in its rolled form according to an embodimentof the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a top view of an ultrasound scanner assembly incorporating arollable semiconductor substrate according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a control region of an ultrasoundscanner assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a transducer region of an ultrasoundscanner assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal perspective view of a portion of an ultrasoundscanner assembly depicted in its rolled form according to an embodimentof the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of the method of manufacturing an ultrasoundscanner assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 12-16 are cross-sectional views of a scanner assembly beingmanufactured by the method according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 17 is a top view of a scanner assembly formed on a wafer undergoingthe method of manufacturing according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIGS. 18A and 18B are top views of a portion of a transducer arrayaccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a transducerincorporating an array of CMUT elements according to an embodiment ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a transducerincorporating an array of piezoelectric elements according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of thepresent disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodimentsillustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used todescribe the same. It is nevertheless understood that no limitation tothe scope of the disclosure is intended. Any alterations and furthermodifications to the described devices, systems, and methods, and anyfurther application of the principles of the present disclosure arefully contemplated and included within the present disclosure as wouldnormally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosurerelates. For example, while the IVUS system is described in terms ofcardiovascular imaging, it is understood that it is not intended to belimited to this application. The system is equally well suited to anyapplication requiring imaging within a confined cavity. In particular,it is fully contemplated that the features, components, and/or stepsdescribed with respect to one embodiment may be combined with thefeatures, components, and/or steps described with respect to otherembodiments of the present disclosure. For the sake of brevity, however,the numerous iterations of these combinations will not be describedseparately.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic schematic view of an ultrasound imaging system100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. At a highlevel, an elongate member 102 (such as a catheter, guide wire, or guidecatheter) of the imaging system 100 is advanced into a vessel 104. Thedistal-most end of the elongate member 102 includes a scanner assembly106 with an array of ultrasound transducers and associated controlcircuitry. When the scanner assembly 106 is positioned near the area tobe imaged, the ultrasound transducers are activated and ultrasonicenergy is produced. A portion of the ultrasonic energy is reflected bythe vessel 104 and the surrounding anatomy and received by thetransducers. Corresponding echo information is passed along through aPatient Interface Monitor (PIM) 108 to an IVUS console 110, whichrenders the information as an image for display on a monitor 112.

The imaging system 100 may use any of a variety of ultrasonic imagingtechnologies. Accordingly, in some embodiments of the presentdisclosure, the IVUS imaging system 100 is a solid-state IVUS imagingsystem incorporating an array of piezoelectric transducers fabricatedfrom lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) ceramic. In some embodiments, thesystem 100 incorporates capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers(CMUTs), or piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducers (PMUTs).

In some embodiments, the IVUS system 100 includes some features similarto traditional solid-state IVUS system, such as the EagleEye® catheteravailable from Volcano Corporation and those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.7,846,101 hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. For example,the elongate member 102 includes the ultrasound scanner assembly 106 ata distal end of the member 102, which is coupled to the PIM 108 and theIVUS console 110 by a cable 114 extending along the longitudinal body ofthe member 102. The cable 114 caries control signals, echo data, andpower between the scanner assembly 106 and the remainder of the IVUSsystem 100.

In an embodiment, the elongate member 102 further includes a guide wireexit port 116. The guide wire exit port 116 allows a guide wire 118 tobe inserted towards the distal end in order to direct the member 102through a vascular structure (i.e., a vessel) 104. Accordingly, in someinstances the IVUS device is a rapid-exchange catheter. In anembodiment, the elongate member 102 also includes an inflatable balloonportion 120 near the distal tip. The balloon portion 120 is open to alumen that travels along the length of the IVUS device and ends in aninflation port (not shown). The balloon 120 may be selectively inflatedand deflated via the inflation port.

The PIM 108 facilitates communication of signals between the IVUSconsole 110 and the elongate member 102 to control the operation of thescanner assembly 106. This includes generating control signals toconfigure the scanner, generating signals to trigger the transmittercircuits, and/or forwarding echo signals captured by the scannerassembly 106 to the IVUS console 110. With regard to the echo signals,the PIM 108 forwards the received signals and, in some embodiments,performs preliminary signal processing prior to transmitting the signalsto the console 110. In examples of such embodiments, the PIM 108performs amplification, filtering, and/or aggregating of the data. In anembodiment, the PIM 108 also supplies high- and low-voltage DC power tosupport operation of the circuitry within the scanner assembly 106.

The IVUS console 110 receives the echo data from the scanner assembly106 by way of the PIM 108 and processes the data to create an image ofthe tissue surrounding the scanner assembly 106. The console 110 mayalso display the image on the monitor 112.

The ultrasound imaging system 100 may be utilized in a variety ofapplications and can be used to image vessels and structures within aliving body. Vessel 104 represents fluid filled or surroundedstructures, both natural and man-made, within a living body that may beimaged and can include for example, but without limitation, structuressuch as: organs including the liver, heart, kidneys, as well as valveswithin the blood or other systems of the body. In addition to imagingnatural structures, the images may also include imaging man-madestructures such as, but without limitation, heart valves, stents,shunts, filters and other devices positioned within the body.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method 200 of utilizing the IVUS system100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. It isunderstood that additional steps can be provided before, during, andafter the steps of method 200, and that some of the steps described canbe replaced or eliminated for other embodiments of the method.

Referring block 202 of FIG. 2 and referring still to FIG. 1, in anillustrative example of a typical environment and application of thesystem, a surgeon places a guide wire 118 in the vessel 104. The guidewire 118 is threaded through at least a portion of the distal end of theelongate member 102 either before, during, or after placement of theguide wire 118. Referring to block 204 of FIG. 2, once the guide wire118 is in place, the elongate member 102 is advanced over the guidewire. Additionally or in the alternative, a guide catheter is advancedin the vessel 104 in block 202 and the elongate member 102 is advancedwithin the guide catheter in block 204. Referring to block 206, oncepositioned, the scanner assembly 106 is activated. Signals sent from thePIM 108 to the scanner assembly 106 via the cable 114 cause transducerswithin the assembly 106 to emit a specified ultrasonic waveform. Theultrasonic waveform is reflected by the vessel 104. Referring to block208 of FIG. 2, the reflections are received by the transducers withinthe scanner assembly 106 and are amplified for transmission via thecable 114. The echo data is placed on the cable 114 and sent to the PIM108. The PIM 108 amplifies the echo data and/or performs preliminarypre-processing, in some instances. Referring to block 210 of FIG. 2, thePIM 108 retransmits the echo data to the IVUS console 110. Referring toblock 212 of FIG. 2, the IVUS console 110 aggregates and assembles thereceived echo data to create an image of the vessel 104 for display onthe monitor 112. In some exemplary applications, the IVUS device isadvanced beyond the area of the vessel 104 to be imaged and pulled backas the scanner assembly 106 is operating, thereby exposing and imaging alongitudinal portion of the vessel 104. To ensure a constant velocity, apullback mechanism is used in some instances. A typical withdrawvelocity is 0.5 mm/s. In some embodiments, the member 102 includes aninflatable balloon portion 120. As part of a treatment procedure, thedevice may be positioned adjacent to a stenosis (narrow segment) or anobstructing plaque within the vessel 104 and inflated in an attempt towiden the restricted area of the vessel 104.

The system 100, and in particular the elongate member 102, is designedto provide high-resolution imaging from within narrow passageways. Toadvance the performance of IVUS imaging devices compared to the currentstate of the art, embodiments of the present disclosure have improvedflexibility and reduced diameter allowing greater maneuverability andleading to increased patient safety and comfort. While the elongatemember 102 is generally flexible, it may include components within itthat are not. For example, the ultrasound scanner assembly 106 is oftenrigid. As a result, the scanner assembly 106 may limit the agility ofthe elongate member 102 and may make navigating the vessel 104 moredifficult. In addition, the bulk of the ultrasound transducers and theassociated circuitry in the scanner assembly 106 may make it a limitingfactor in the drive towards a smaller-gauge elongate member 102. Forthese reasons and others, an ultrasound scanner assembly 106 that issmaller longitudinally and circumferentially, as provided herein, mayallow for a thinner elongate member 102 with improved agility tonavigate complex vessels 104. Specific embodiments also provide faster,less expensive, and more reliable methods of manufacturing the scannerassembly 106.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a portion of an ultrasound scanner assembly 106according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 depicts theultrasound scanner assembly 106 in its flat form. The assembly 106includes a transducer array 302 formed in a transducer region 304 andtransducer control logic dies 306 (including dies 306A and 306B) formedin a control region 308, with a transition region 310 disposedtherebetween. With respect to the transducer array 302, the array 302may include any number and type of ultrasound transducers 312, althoughfor clarity only a limited number of ultrasound transducers areillustrated in FIG. 3. In an embodiment, the transducer array 302includes 64 individual ultrasound transducers 312. In a furtherembodiment, the transducer array 302 includes 32 ultrasound transducers312. Other numbers are both contemplated and provided for. With respectto the types of transducers, in an embodiment, the ultrasoundtransducers 312 are piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducers(PMUTs) fabricated on a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) substrateusing a polymer piezoelectric material, for example as disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 6,641,540, which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety. In alternate embodiments, the transducer array includespiezoelectric transducers fabricated from bulk PZT ceramic or singlecrystal piezoelectric material, piezoelectric micromachined ultrasoundtransducers (PMUTs), capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers(CMUTs), other suitable ultrasound transmitters and receivers, and/orcombinations thereof.

The scanner assembly 106 may include various transducer control logic,which in the illustrated embodiment is divided into discrete controllogic dies 306. In various examples, the control logic of the scannerassembly 106 performs: decoding control signals sent by the PIM 108across the cable 114, driving one or more transducers 312 to emit anultrasonic signal, selecting one or more transducers 312 to receive areflected echo of the ultrasonic signal, amplifying a signalrepresenting the received echo, and/or transmitting the signal to thePIM across the cable 114. In the illustrated embodiment, a scannerassembly 106 having 64 ultrasound transducers 312 divides the controllogic across nine control logic dies 306, of which five are shown.Designs incorporating other numbers of control logic dies 306 including8, 9, 16, 17 and more are utilized in other embodiments. In general, thecontrol logic dies 306 are characterized by the number of transducersthey are capable of driving, and exemplary control logic dies 306 drive4, 8, and 16 transducers.

The control logic dies are not necessarily homogenous. In someembodiments, a single controller is designated a master control logicdie 306A and contains the communication interface for the cable 114.Accordingly, the master control circuit may include control logic thatdecodes control signals received over the cable 114, transmits controlresponses over the cable 114, amplifies echo signals, and/or transmitsthe echo signals over the cable 114. The remaining controllers are slavecontrollers 306B. The slave controllers 306B may include control logicthat drives a transducer 312 to emit an ultrasonic signal and selects atransducer 312 to receive an echo. In the depicted embodiment, themaster controller 306A does not directly control any transducers 312. Inother embodiments, the master controller 306A drives the same number oftransducers 312 as the slave controllers 306B or drives a reduced set oftransducers 312 as compared to the slave controllers 306B. In anexemplary embodiment, a single master controller 306A and eight slavecontrollers 306B are provided with eight transducers assigned to eachslave controller 306B.

The transducer control logic dies 306 and the transducers 312 aremounted on a flex circuit 314 that provides structural support andinterconnects for electrical coupling. The flex circuit 314 may beconstructed to include a film layer of a flexible polyimide materialsuch as KAPTON™ (trademark of DuPont). Other suitable materials includepolyester films, polyimide films, polyethylene napthalate films, orpolyetherimide films, other flexible printed semiconductor substrates aswell as products such as Upilex® (registered trademark of UbeIndustries) and TEFLON® (registered trademark of E.I. du Pont). The filmlayer is configured to be wrapped around a ferrule to form a cylindricaltoroid in some instances. Therefore, the thickness of the film layer isgenerally related to the degree of curvature in the final assembledscanner assembly 106. In some embodiments, the film layer is between 5μm and 100 μm, with some particular embodiments being between 12.7 μmand 25.1 μm.

To electrically interconnect the control logic dies 306 and thetransducers, in an embodiment, the flex circuit 314 further includesconductive traces formed on the film layer that carry signals betweenthe control logic dies 306 and the transducers 312 and that provide aset of pads for connecting the conductors of cable 114. Suitablematerials for the conductive traces include copper, gold, aluminum,silver, nickel, and tin and may be deposited on the flex circuit 314 byprocesses such as sputtering, plating, and etching. In an embodiment,the flex circuit 314 includes a chromium adhesion layer or atitanium-tungsten adhesion layer. The width and thickness of theconductive traces are selected to provide proper conductivity andresilience when the flex circuit 314 is rolled. In that regard, anexemplary range for the width of a conductive trace is between 10-50 μm.For example, in an embodiment, 20 μm conductive traces are separated by20 μm of space. The width of a conductive trace may be furtherdetermined by the size of a pad of a device or the width of a wire to becoupled to the trace. The thickness of the conductive traces may have arange from about 1 μm to about 10 μm, with a typical thickness of 5 μm.

In some instances, the scanner assembly 106 is transitioned from a flatconfiguration to a rolled or more cylindrical configuration. Forexample, in some embodiments, techniques are utilized as disclosed inone or more of U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,763, titled “ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERARRAY AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME” and U.S. Pat. No. 7,226,417,titled “HIGH RESOLUTION INTRAVASCULAR ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER ASSEMBLYHAVING A FLEXIBLE SUBSTRATE,” each of which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a control region 308 of anultrasound scanner assembly 106 according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure. The control region 308 is depicted in its rolledform and contains the transducer control logic dies 306 bonded to theflex circuit 314. In the illustrated embodiment, the flex circuit 314also includes a conductive ground layer 402. In a further embodiment,the flex circuit includes an outer membrane 404 used to insulate andcover the ground layer 402 and to protect the scanner assembly 106 fromthe environment. Insulator materials for the outer membrane 404 may beselected for their biocompatibility, durability, hydrophilic orhydrophobic properties, low-friction properties, ultrasonicpermeability, and/or other suitable criteria. For example, the outermembrane may include Parylene™ (trademark of Union Carbide). Othersuitable materials include heat shrink tubing such as polyester or PVDF,a melt-formable layers such as Pebax® (registered trademark of Arkema)or polyethylene, and/or other suitable membrane materials.

As discussed above, in many embodiments, the flex circuit 314 and theattached elements are rolled around a ferrule 406. The lumen region 408inside the ferrule 406 is open to allow the scanner assembly 106 to beadvanced over a guide wire (not shown). The ferrule 406 may include aradiopaque material to aid in visualizing the scanner assembly 106during a procedure. In some instances, encapsulating epoxy 410 fills thespaces between the control logic dies 306 and the ferrule 406.

In some embodiments, the control logic dies 306 are coupled to the flexcircuit 314 by contact bumps 412. The contact bumps 412 may include ametal core, such as a copper core, with a solder portion. Duringformation, the contact may be heated, causing the solder to flow andjoin the metal core of the contact bump 412 to the flex circuit 314trace. An underfill material 414 between the control logic dies 306 andthe flex circuit 314 may be applied to increase the bond strength, toprovide structural support for the control region 308, to insulateconductive structures including the contact bumps 412, and/or to promotethermal conduction.

In an embodiment, the control region 308 includes a retaining structure416 applied over the transducer control logic dies 306. The retainingstructure 416 may be used during the rolling process, for example, tosecure components including the control logic dies 306. Encapsulatingepoxy 410 fills the space between the transducer control logic dies 306and the retaining structure 416 and between the retaining structure 416and the ferrule 406 in some embodiments.

As can be seen from FIG. 4, the transducer control logic dies 306 atleast partially define the shape of the control region 308. In theillustrated embodiment, because the transducer control logic dies 306are rigid, the portions of the flex circuit 314 adjacent to the controllogic dies 306 are relatively flat while the portions of the flexcircuit adjacent gaps between the dies 306 are relatively rounded,resulting in a cross-sectional shape that is more polygonal thancircular. As can be seen, the gaps between control logic dies 306 in therolled configuration increase the effective diameter 418 of the controlregion 308. In some embodiments, half of the circumference of thecontrol region 308 is due to gap space. The result is a larger and moreirregular shaped scanner assembly 106.

To reduce the gap space, in some embodiments, the control logic dies 306include interlocking teeth. For example, control logic dies 306 may beformed with a recess and projection that interlocks with a recess andprojection of an adjacent control logic die 306 to form a box joint orfinger joint. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the dies 306interlocks with two adjacent controllers utilizing a recess andprojection interface. In some embodiments, a control logic die 306includes a chamfered edge, either alone or in combination with a recessand projection. The chamfered edge may be configured to abut an edge ofan adjacent control logic die 306. In some such embodiments, the edge ofthe adjacent controller is chamfered as well. Other combinations,including embodiments utilizing a number of different mechanisms, arecontemplated and provided for. Edge configurations that interlockadjacent control logic dies 306 may allow for closer control logic diespacing and a reduced diameter 418 in the rolled configuration. Suchconfigurations may also interlock to create a rigid structure andthereby provide additional structural support for the rolled scannerassembly 106. Additionally or in the alternative, narrower and morenumerous control logic dies 306 are used in place of larger dies inorder to reduce the size of the flat areas of the controller region 308.It follows that designs utilizing 8, 9, 16, or more transducer controllogic dies 306 have a more circular cross-section than designs with 4 or5 controllers.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a transducer region 304 of anultrasound scanner assembly 106 according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure. The transducer region 304 is depicted in its rolledform. As the name implies, the transducer region 304 of the scannercontains the transducers 312, which, as previously disclosed, arephysically attached to the flex circuit 314 and are electrically coupledto the traces of the flex circuit 314. As can be seen, the size, shape,and spacing of the ultrasound transducers 312 at least partially definethe shape of the transducer region 304, with the portions of the flexcircuit 314 that are adjacent to the transducers 312 being relativelyflat and the portions of the flex circuit that are adjacent gaps betweentransducers 312 being relatively rounded. Due in part to the smallersize and greater number of transducers 312, the transducer region 304may be more circular than the control region 308. In embodiments with 64ultrasound transducers 312, the cross-section of the transducer region304 is nearly circular.

To accommodate the difference between the cross-sectional shapes of thetransducer region 304 and the control region 308, the scanner assembly106 may include a transition region 310 as shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is alongitudinal perspective view of a portion of an ultrasound scannerassembly 106 depicted in its rolled form according to an embodiment ofthe present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 6, the transition region 310is located between the transducer region 304 and the control region 308.In contrast to the transducer region 304 and the control region 308, thetransition region 310 is free of rigid structures. Instead, thecross-sectional shape is defined by the adjacent regions 304 and 308.Thus, the shape of the transition region 310 transitions between that ofthe transducer region 304 and the controller region 308. The transitionregion 310 may be used to reduce sharp angles that can stress the flexcircuit 314 and/or the conductive traces. Greater differences incross-sectional shapes may result in a longer transition region 310. Inan exemplary four-control logic die embodiment, the transition region310 is approximately 1 to 1.5 catheter diameters in order to transitionfrom square to substantially round. This works out to be between 1000and 1500 μm for a 3Fr catheter. In contrast, in an exemplarynine-control logic die embodiment, the transition region 310 isapproximately 0.5 to 0.75 catheter diameters, or between 500 and 750 μmfor a 3Fr catheter. Because the scanner assembly 106 (including thetransition region 310) is typically inflexible or rigid compared to thesurrounding portion of the device, reducing the length of the transitionregion 310 results in a more agile IVUS device capable of maneuveringthrough complex vascular branches and producing less discomfort in thepatient.

Another technique for reducing the size of the scanner assembly includesmanufacturing the transducers and/or the control circuitry on a rollablesemiconductor substrate. This reduces the irregularity caused by theflat transducers 312 and control logic dies 306 of the previousexamples, and may reduce both the longitudinal length and the diameterof the scanner assembly. FIG. 7 is a top view of an ultrasound scannerassembly 700 incorporating a rollable semiconductor substrate accordingto an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 depicts theultrasound scanner assembly 700 in its flat form. In many respects, theultrasound scanner assembly 700 may be substantially similar to scannerassembly 106 of FIGS. 3-6 and may include a transducer array 702 thatincludes any number any number and type of ultrasound transducers 703formed in a transducer region 704. In an exemplary embodiment, thetransducer array 702 includes 64 CMUT transducers 703. The ultrasoundscanner assembly 700 may also include control logic circuitry 706 formedin a control region 708 with a transition region 710 disposedtherebetween. The ultrasound scanner assembly 700 may also includecontact pads 712 for coupling the scanner assembly 700 to a cable 114for communication with other components of an IVUS system such as a PIM108. However, whereas the transducers 312 and control logic dies 306 ofFIG. 3, for example, are formed on a rigid substrate, the transducerarray 702 and the control circuitry 706 of the present embodiment areformed on a rollable substrate 714. Thus, the elements of the scannerassembly 700 may be shaped into a curve as indicated by arrow 716 andmany of the challenges involved in arranging flat components into aroughly circular profile are avoided. As a result, the transducer region704 and the control region 708 have a more circular cross-sectionalshape in the rolled configuration, as shown in more detail in thecontext of FIGS. 8 and 9.

Furthermore, for reasons discussed in more detail below, the overallsize of the scanner assembly may be reduced 700. In brief, byeliminating the gaps between discrete dies, the diameter of the scannerassembly (and correspondingly the circumference and gauge) may bereduced. In addition, because the profiles of the control region 708 andthe transducer regions 704 are similar, a shorter transition region 710may be utilized thereby reducing the longitudinal length of the scannerassembly 700. In embodiments where the transition region 710 is not usedto transition between the profiles of the control region 708 and thetransducer region 704, the shorter transition region 710 may still proveuseful as a sacrificial region during dicing. In an exemplaryembodiment, the control region 708 measures approximately 1.5 mm in theY direction, the transition region 710 measures approximately 1 mm inthe Y direction, and the transducer region 704 measures betweenapproximately 0.75 mm and 0.5 mm in the Y direction.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a control region 708 of anultrasound scanner assembly 700 according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure. The control region 708 is illustrated in its rolledform and includes the control circuitry 706 formed on a rollablesemiconductor substrate 714. As can be seen, the semiconductor substrate714 is flexed to form a cylinder and more specifically, a cylindricaltoroid. The resulting cross-sectional profile of the control region 708is substantially circular without flat regions seen in other examples.By eliminating gap space between dies and protrusions caused by flatdies, the control circuitry 706 may be packed more densely. Because diesoften include reserved areas for separating dies during manufacturing(scribe lines), device density may be further improved by using a singlerollable substrate 714. Similarly, dies often include insulators, pads,and other bulk that may be eliminated through the use of a rollablesubstrate 714.

In addition, the amount of control circuitry 706 may be reduced whencompared to embodiments utilizing discrete dies. For example,partitioning the control circuitry 706 across dies often involvesduplicating functionality. This duplicate logic may be avoided inembodiments where the control circuitry 706 remains together. As yetanother example, partitioning the control circuitry 706 across diesoften involves adding large and power hungry I/O circuitry to transmit,synchronize, and amplify signals between dies. This too may be avoidedin embodiments where the control circuitry 706 remains together on thesemiconductor substrate 714. Furthermore, transmitting analog signalsbetween dies, such as echo data, may introduce noise. For these reasonsand others, the control region 708 incorporating a flexible substrate714 may be smaller and more efficient than other configurations and mayprovide greater imaging fidelity. In particular, the control region 708may have a smaller diameter 804 and may have a corresponding gauge lessthan 3Fr.

In contrast to previous examples, by rolling the substrate 714, thedevices formed on the substrate 714 (i.e., the transistors of thecontrol circuitry 706) become curved and rearranged in a cylindricalarrangement. To account for this, the devices may be oriented on thesubstrate 714 in such a manner as to reduce stress and the possibilityof cracking when rolled. For example, the devices may be aligned suchthat the gate width direction extends along the longitudinal axis of thesubstrate 714 in the rolled form. In some embodiments, the activeregions and the gate structures of the control circuitry 706 arearranged on the outer surface of the substrate 714 when in the rolledform, whereas in other embodiments, the active regions and the gatestructures are arranged on the inner surface of the substrate when inthe rolled form.

In the illustrated embodiment, the control region 708 includes an outerjacket 802 used to insulate the rollable semiconductor substrate 714 andto protect the scanner assembly 700 from the environment. The insulatormaterials for the outer jacket 802 may be selected for theirbiocompatibility, durability, hydrophilic or hydrophobic properties,low-friction properties, ultrasonic permeability, and/or other suitablecriteria. In various embodiments, the outer jacket 802 includes KAPTON™,polyester films, polyimide films, polyethylene napthalate films, and/orUpilex®. In further embodiments, the outer jacket 802 includesParylene™, heat shrink tubing such as polyester or PVDF, a melt-formablelayers such as Pebax® (registered trademark of Arkema) or polyethylene,and/or other suitable membrane materials. In some embodiments, the outerjacket 802 includes a flexible circuit, such as a polyimide or liquidcrystal polymer-based flexible circuit. The flexible circuit may befurther jacketed by a shrink fit or other jacket material. A widevariety of suitable shrink-fit materials exist including polyesterand/or Pebax®. In an exemplary embodiment, a layer of the outer jacket802 is formed with proper thickness and acoustic impedance to act as amatching layer for ultrasound signals. The matching layer typically hasan acoustic impedance between that of the ultrasound transducer and thesurrounding vessel and provides a smoother acoustic transition withreduced reflections.

In some instances, the control region 708 is formed around a ferrule 406and includes an encapsulating epoxy 410 filling the space between thesemiconductor substrate 714 and the ferrule 406. The lumen region 408inside the ferrule 406 is open to allow the scanner assembly 700 to beadvanced over a guide wire (not shown). The ferrule 406 may include aradiopaque material to aid in visualizing the scanner assembly 700during a procedure.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a transducer region 704 of anultrasound scanner assembly 700 according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure. The transducer region 704 is depicted in its rolledform and includes a transducer array 702 formed on a rollablesemiconductor substrate 714. The transducer array 702 includes anynumber any number and type of ultrasound transducers 703, and in anexemplary embodiment includes 64 CMUT transducers. As in the controlregion 708, the semiconductor substrate 714 is flexed to form a cylinderor cylindrical toroid and the resulting cross-sectional profile of thetransducer region 704 is substantially circular. Similar to the controlregion 708, the transducers of the transducer array 702 become curvedand take on a cylindrical arrangement. In an exemplary embodiment, thetransducers of the transducer array 702 are arranged on the outersurface of the substrate 714 when in the rolled form.

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal perspective view of a portion of an ultrasoundscanner assembly 700 depicted in its rolled form according to anembodiment of the present disclosure. The scanner assembly 700 includesa transition region 710 located between the transducer region 704 andthe control region 708. As can be seen, the cross-sectional profiles ofthe transducer region 704 and the control region 708 are similar andthus the transition region 710 may be shorter in the longitudinaldirection as compared to the previous examples. For a variety ofreasons, including those discussed above, the gauge or thickness of therolled scanner assembly 700 may be less than that of otherconfigurations. For example, in various embodiments, the scannerassembly 700 is between 2-3Fr and, in a specific embodiment, the scannerassembly 700 measures approximately 2Fr.

A method of forming an ultrasound scanner assembly 700 incorporating arollable semiconductor substrate 714 is described with reference toFIGS. 11-17. FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of the method 1100 ofmanufacturing the ultrasound scanner assembly 700 according to anembodiment of the present disclosure. It is understood that additionalsteps can be provided before, during, and after the steps of method 1100and that some of the steps described can be replaced or eliminated forother embodiments of the method. FIGS. 12-16 are cross-sectional viewsof a scanner assembly 700 being manufactured by the method according toan embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 12-16 each showtransducer control circuitry 706 being manufactured in a control region708 and a transducer array 702 being manufactured in a transducer region704. FIG. 17 is a top view of a scanner assembly 700 formed on a waferundergoing the method of manufacturing according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

Referring to block 1102 of FIG. 11 and to FIG. 12, a semiconductorsubstrate 714 is received. Substrate 714 may be any base material onwhich processing is conducted to produce layers of materials, patternfeatures, and/or integrated circuits such as those used to manufacturetransducer control circuitry 706. Examples of semiconductor substratesinclude a bulk silicon substrate, an elementary semiconductor substratesuch as a silicon or germanium substrate, a compound semiconductorsubstrate such as a silicon germanium substrate, an alloy semiconductorsubstrate, and substrates including non-semiconductor materials such asglass and quartz.

Referring to block 1104 of FIG. 11 and referring still to FIG. 12,transistors of the control circuitry 706 are formed on the substrate 714in the control region 708. An exemplary process for forming thetransistors includes growing a pad oxide layer over the substrate,depositing a nitride layer by chemical vapor deposition, performing areactive ion etching to form a trench, growing a shallow trenchisolation feature oxide, chemical-mechanical planarization, channelimplantation, formation of a gate oxide, polysilicon deposition, etchingto form a gate structure, source-drain implantation, forming of sidewallspacers, performing a self-aligned silicide process, forming one or moreinterconnect layers, forming a pad layer, and/or other fabricationprocesses known to one of skill in the art. In some instances, theprocess for forming the control circuitry 706 produces gate structures1202, shallow trench isolation features 1204, conductive interconnects1206, and insulator layers 1208.

Referring to block 1106 of FIG. 11 and to FIGS. 13-15, one or moretransducers of the transducer array 702 are formed on the substrate 714.The present disclosure is not limited to any particular transducertechnology, and while the illustrated embodiment includes CMUTtransducers, other embodiments incorporate thin-film PZT transducers,PMUT transducers, and/or other transducer types. Referring to FIG. 13,in one example, CMUT transducers are formed in block 1106 by depositinga dielectric layer 1302 on the substrate 714 and depositing asacrificial layer 1304, such as a polysilicon layer, on the dielectriclayer 1302 to define the CMUT vacuum gap, which acts as a resonancechamber. Referring to FIG. 14, further dielectric material 1402 isdeposited over the sacrificial layer 1304 with holes formed therein toallow the sacrificial layer 1304 to be etched. Referring to FIG. 15, thesacrificial layer 1304 is etched away from underneath the dielectric andthe holes are filled with additional dielectric material 1402. This maybe performed in a vacuum so that the remaining cavity is a vacuum gap1502 within the dielectric formation of 1302 and 1402.

The material over the vacuum gap 1502 is referred to as a diaphragm 1504or drumhead and is free to deflect into the vacuum gap 1502. Anelectrode 1506 is formed over the vacuum gap that together with aconductive region of the substrate 714 form a parallel plate capacitor.Deflection of the diaphragm 1504 and the electrode 1506 into the vacuumgap, such as deflection caused by an ultrasonic wave, changes theelectrical behavior of the capacitor. These changes can be measured inorder to determine properties of the wave that caused them. One or moreinterconnect layers 1206 and/or passivation layers 1208 may then beformed over the electrode 1506.

Referring to block 1108 of FIG. 11 and to FIG. 15, a polymer coatingsuch as the outer jacket 802 described in FIG. 8 may be formed on thesubstrate 714 and insulates the control circuitry 706 and the transducerarray 702. Additionally or in the alternative, the outer jacket 802 maybe formed over the substrate 714 after the rolling of the substrate 714during the final assembly in block 1116, described below.

Referring to block 1110 of FIG. 11 and to FIG. 16, the substrate 714 ismade rollable. In other words, while the finished substrate 714 may beflexible enough to be rolled, the substrate 714 in its initial form maybe rigid for easier manufacturing of the transducer array 702 and thecontrol circuitry 706. In some embodiments, the substrate 714 is maderollable by performing a thinning process. For example, in someembodiments, thinning the substrate 714 to a thickness of approximately10 μm or less results in a substrate 714 that is flexible enough to berolled. Suitable thinning processes include mechanical grinding, wet ordry etching, chemical-mechanical polishing, fracturing, and/or otherwisethinning the substrate 714. In an embodiment, the wafer thinning processincludes mechanical grinding of the substrate 714. Mechanical grindinguses abrasive force to remove substrate material. In another embodiment,the wafer thinning process includes chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP).In an exemplary CMP process, a polishing pad is installed on a rotatingplaten. A slurry of reactive compounds such as NH4OH and/or abrasiveparticles such as silica (SiO2), alumina (Al2O3), and ceria (CeO2) isdispensed on the polishing pad. The substrate 714, secured in a CMPchuck, is forced against the polishing pad as both the platen and theCMP chuck rotate. The reactants in the slurry loosen atomic bonds withinthe surface of the substrate 714, while the mechanical abrasion removesthe loosened material. CMP is typically slower than purely mechanicalgrinding but produces less damage to the substrate 714.

In some embodiments, the substrate 714 includes one or more buriedlayers to control the thinning of the substrate 714. For example, in anembodiment, the substrate 714 includes a dielectric layer that acts as astop layer during a mechanical grinding process. In a further example,the substrate 714 includes a buried dielectric layer (e.g., a buriedoxide layer) that acts as an etch stop layer during a chemical etchingprocess. In yet a further example, the substrate 714 includes a cleavagelayer that separates from the remainder of the substrate 714 during amechanical separation process.

Referring to block 1112 of FIG. 11 and to FIG. 17, the transducer array702 and the control circuitry 706 of the scanner assembly 700 aresingulated from a wafer 1702. As can be seen, several scanner assemblies700 can be formed on a single wafer 1702. For example, approximately twothousand scanner assemblies 700 each measuring 10 mm² may be formed on asingle 8″ wafer 1702. Before being rolled, the scanner assemblies 700are separated using techniques that may include saw dicing, mechanicalcutting, laser cutting, physical force, and/or other suitablesingulation techniques.

Referring to block 1114 of FIG. 11, the scanner assembly 700 is rolledto have a substantially cylindrical form as shown in FIGS. 8-10. Becausethe rolling process curves the transistors of the control circuitry 706and the transducers 703 of the transducer array 702, flat areas andother irregularities are reduced. In some embodiments, rolling includesapplying a retaining structure 416 before the scanner assembly 700 isshaped into the substantially cylindrical form.

Referring to block 1116 of FIG. 11, the scanner assembly 700 is providedto a finishing facility for final assembly, which may include applyingan encapsulating epoxy 410, attaching the cable 114, and/or sealing thescanner assembly 700. Thus, the use of a rollable semiconductorsubstrate 714 in method 1100 eliminates the complexity and yield lossassociated with dicing tiny components and bonding them to a flexibleinterconnect. As a result, the manufacturing technique simplifiesassembly, reduces assembly time, and improves both yield and devicereliability.

As disclosed above, the scanner assembly 700 may incorporate anysuitable ultrasound transducer technology, including the CMUT transducer703 illustrated in FIG. 16. Suitable transducers 703 are illustrated infurther detail in FIGS. 18A, 18B, 19, and 20. FIGS. 18A and 18B are topviews of a portion of a transducer array 702 according to an embodimentof the present disclosure. FIG. 18B is an enlarged view of the portion.FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a transducer 703incorporating an array of CMUT elements 1902 according to an embodimentof the present disclosure. FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of aportion of a transducer 703 incorporating an array of piezoelectricelements 2002 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring first to FIGS. 18A and 18B, in the illustrated embodiment,each transducer 703 of the transducer array 702 includes an array oftransducer elements 1802. Each element 1802 is itself a transduceroperable to generate a waveform by vibrating a diaphragm 1504 (i.e., adrumhead) and to produce an electrical signal in response to a receivedwaveform. In that regard, each element 1802 may include a diaphragm1504, a chamber such as a vacuum gap 1502, an associated electrode 1506,and/or any other ancillary structure. Because of the limiteddisplacement of each element 1802, each transducer 703 may includemultiple elements 1802 electrically connected in parallel to increasethe effective surface area. For example, the electrodes 1506 of multiplediaphragms 1504 may be connected by a common interconnect (e.g.,interconnects 1206A and 1206B). In this way, the transducers 703 cancompensate for a thinner substrate 714 and correspondingly shallowervacuum gaps. In the illustrated embodiment, each diaphragm 1504 issubstantially circular with a diameter of approximately 10 μm, althoughit is understood in further embodiments the transducers 703 includeother sizes and shapes of diaphragm 1504. In the interest of clarity,the number of elements 1802 has been reduced, and while each transducer703 may include any number of elements 1802, in an exemplary embodiment,each transducer 703 includes approximately 100 elements.

In addition to providing a large effective surface area, an array ofelements 1802 can be tuned to more than one frequency by adjusting thenumber of elements 1802 operating in unison. An array can also producespecialized waveforms by adjusting the firing sequence of the elements1802. Accordingly, in some embodiments, elements 1802 of a transducer703 are arranged into groups (indicated by dashed boxes 1804). While theelements 1802 of each group are electrically connected in parallel andthus operate in unison, the groups can be independently controlled oraddressed to produce a number of different ultrasonic waveforms at anumber of different characteristic frequencies. Thus, a singletransducer 703 can support multiple imaging modes, with common modesincluding both 20 MHz and 40 MHz modes.

Referring now to FIG. 19, a portion of a transducer 703 is shown. In theembodiment, the transducer 702 includes CMUT transducer elements 1902.The three illustrated elements each include a vacuum gap 1502 defined bya dielectric layer 1302 formed on the substrate 714, a diaphragm 1504formed over the vacuum gap 1502, an electrode 1506 formed over thediaphragm, and an interconnect 1206 electrically coupling the diaphragms1504 to other diaphragms 1504 and to the control circuitry (not shown).

As can be seen, the CMUT transducer elements 1902 are well suited forthe rollable substrate 714 because their overall profile can be quitethin. For example, in an embodiment, the combined thickness 1904 of thediaphragm 1504, the vacuum gap 1502, and the substrate 714 is less thanor substantially equal to 10 μm. In the embodiment, the diaphragm 1504has a thickness of approximately 1 μm, and the vacuum gap 1502 has athickness of approximately 0.1 μm.

Referring to FIG. 20, a portion of another transducer 702 that includespiezoelectric transducer elements 2002 is shown. The piezoelectricelements 2002 are a suitable substitute for the CMUT elements 1902described above and, when arranged in an array to form a transducer 703may have a top view substantially similar to that of FIGS. 18A and 18B.

When viewed in the cross-section, the piezoelectric elements 2002 eachinclude a chamber 2004 formed in the substrate 714. A piezoelectricthin-film 2006 is formed over the chamber 2004.

Similar to the CMUT diaphragm 1504, the piezoelectric elements 2002 canbe quite thin. For example, in an embodiment, the combined thickness2008 of the piezoelectric thin-film 2006 and the substrate 714containing the chamber 2004 have a combined thickness betweenapproximately 5 μm and approximately 10 μm, with the piezoelectricthin-film 2006 having a thickness between approximately 1 μm andapproximately 2 μm.

By connecting several elements in parallel, the embodiments of FIGS. 19and 20 provide an effective element size that is much greater than theindividual diaphragm size. This allows the transducer to provide a morepowerful ultrasonic signal while transmitting and to produce a strongerelectrical signal while receiving. In addition, the operationalfrequency of a transducer can be tuned by adjusting the number ofelements operating in parallel. The result is a more sensitivetransducer in a smaller package.

Thus, the present disclosure provides an improved IVUS device with ascanner assembly that is designed to be both smaller and more uniform,and provides a method for manufacturing the scanner assembly improvesyield and takes much of the complexity out of the manufacturing.

Persons skilled in the art will recognize that the apparatus, systems,and methods described above can be modified in various ways.Accordingly, persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate thatthe embodiments encompassed by the present disclosure are not limited tothe particular exemplary embodiments described above. In that regard,although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, a widerange of modification, change, and substitution is contemplated in theforegoing disclosure. It is understood that such variations may be madeto the foregoing without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims beconstrued broadly and in a manner consistent with the presentdisclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. An ultrasound imaging device, comprising: aflexible elongate member configured to be positioned within a bloodvessel of a patient; and an ultrasound scanner assembly configured forintravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging, wherein the ultrasound scannerassembly is disposed at a distal portion of the flexible elongatemember, wherein the ultrasound scanner assembly comprises a plurality ofcapacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) elements, whereinthe plurality of CMUT elements comprises a first row, a second row, andan offset between the first row and the second row, and wherein a firstsubset of the plurality of CMUT elements are electrically connected inparallel by a first conductive interconnect that extends across theoffset such that the first subset comprises CMUT elements from the firstrow and CMUT elements from the second row.
 2. The device of claim 1,wherein the plurality of CMUT elements comprises a third row and afurther offset between the third row and the second row, and wherein thefirst conductive interconnect extends across the further offset suchthat the first subset comprises CMUT elements from the third row.
 3. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound scanner assembly comprises anarray of transducers distributed around a circumference such that thefirst row is disposed at a first location along the circumference andthe second row is disposed at a second location along the circumference.4. The device of claim 1, wherein CMUT elements in the first subset areconfigured to be operated in unison.
 5. The device of claim 4, wherein afrequency of the ultrasound scanner assembly is tunable based on aquantity of the CMUT elements in the first subset.
 6. The device ofclaim 1, wherein the ultrasound scanner assembly is configured toproduce a plurality of waveforms based on adjustments to a firingsequence of the plurality of CMUT elements.
 7. The device of claim 1,wherein a second subset of the plurality of CMUT elements areelectrically connected in parallel by a second conductive interconnectthat extends across the offset such that the second subset comprisesfurther CMUT elements from the first row and further CMUT elements fromthe second row.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the first subset isspaced from the second subset, wherein the first conductive interconnectis spaced from the second conductive interconnect.
 9. The device ofclaim 7, wherein the first subset and the second subset are configuredto be independently controlled.
 10. The device of claim 7, wherein theultrasound scanner assembly comprises an array of transducers, wherein asame transducer of the array of transducers comprises the first row andthe second row such that the same transducer comprises the first subsetand the second subset.
 11. The device of claim 10, wherein the sametransducer is spaced, by a gap, from a subsequent transducer of thearray of transducers.
 12. The device of claim 10, wherein the firstsubset is configured to produce a first frequency and the second subsetis configured to produce a second frequency such that the sametransducer is configured produce different frequencies.